Trustees



(No Model.)

R WN- STREET OAR EQUALIZER. No. 549,763. Patented Nov; 12,1895.

:INDREW EGRAHAM. PHm-UTHQWASBINETON. RC.

UNITED STATES PATE T ()FFICE JAMES 0. BROWN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOSIAH QUINCY, OF SAME PLACE, AND JOHN R.GRAHAM, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, TRUSTEES.

STREET-CAR EQUALIZER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,763, dated November12, 1895.

Application filed June 27, 1895. Serial No. 554,206. (No model.)

To in whom it may concern: connections between the end portions of eachBe it known that I, JAMES 0. BROWN, of rock-shaft and the car-body,which cause ver- Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of ticalpressure at either end of the car-body to Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new be communicated through the rock-shaft to 5 andusefullmprovementsin Street-CarEqualthe other end of the car-body. Saidconnec- 55 izers, of which the following is a specification. tions, ashere shown, comprise crank-arms c This invention has for its object toprovide 9, affixed rigidly to the ends of the rock-shaft,

simple and effective means for preventing the and links 6 c connectingsaid arms with the vertical oscillating movements of the bodiescar-body, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

I of street-cars upon the truck-frame; and it It will be seen that in acar provided with 60 consists in the combination, with a car-body, theabovedescribed equahzing device the a truck-frame, and body-supportingsprings common so-called teetering movement of interposed between thebody and frame, of an the car-body, causing its ends to oscillateequahzing device comprising a rockshaft vertically through arcs ofconsiderable length,

I journaled in bearings upon the truck-frame is prevented, the car-bodybeing positively 65 and extending longitudinally of the car, andconnected with the truck-frame by four posipositive or unyieldingconnections between tive connections which are variable in length saidrock-shaft and the car-body, out beyond and vary simultaneously, so thatthe distance the wheels at both ends, whereby a vertical between allparts of the car-body and the movement of either end of the car istransframe must necessarily be uniform. 7o mitted through the rock-shaftto the other I am aware that rock-shafts journaled on end of thecar-body, so that independent verthe truck-frame have been connectedwith a tical movements of either end of the body are car-body bytorsional springs, as in Reissued prevented, the car-body being keptsubstan- Patent No. 5,359; but such springs are not tially parallel withthe truck-frame. an equivalent of the inelastic or inflexible 75 Of theaccompanying drawings, forming a links which I employ, because they (thesaid part of this specification, Figurel represents springs) necessarilypermit more or less ina longitudinal section of a car-body andtruckdependent movement of either end of the car, frame provided with myimproved equalizing while the links which I employ in connection device.Fig. 2 represents asection on line 2 with the cranks and rock-shaftsconstitute 80 2 of Fig. 1 and a plan view of the parts below positiveconnections, preventing such indesaid line. Fig. 3 represents an endview of pendent movement.

the construction shown in Fig. 1. I am also aware that rock-shafts havebeen The same letters of reference indicate the disposed transversely ofthe car-body in bearsame parts in all the figures. ings on the truck andconnected by links 85 In the drawings, a represents the body of with thecar-body for equalizing purposes to astreet-car, and 19 represents thetruck-frame, prevent sidewise tilting; but it is necessary which isprovided with the usual wheels cand to the accomplishment of my objectthat the supports the body in the usual or any suitequalizing-shaftsextend longitudinally of the 40 able manner, suitable springs d beingintercar-body, for the object is to prevent endwise 9o posed between thesaid frame and car-body. tilting of the car, the invention being spe- Incarrying out my invention Iprovide an cially applicable to street-cars,wherein it is equalizing mechanism to keep the car-body customary tohave the body of the car project substantially parallel with thetruck-frame considerably beyond the wheels at both ends,

and prevent independent vertical movement giving a leverage productiveof the endwise- 5 of either end of the car-body. Said mechantiltingmotion from comparatively slight ism comprises two rock-shafts e, whichare causes. journaled in bearings ff on the truck-frame It is not onlynecessary to the practical acand extend longitudinally of the car beyondcomplishment of the object of my invention the wheels, and suitableinelastic or inflexible that the equalizing-shafts extend longitudi- 10onally of the ear-body, but it is highly important that they extendbeyond the wheels, so that the link connections can be made outwardl ybeyond the centers of endwise up-anddown oscillation; and herein theinvention involves more than the mere changing of theequalizing-shaftsfrom transverse to longi' tudinal position, but eilectsa new relation of the parts of the vehicle to the parts of theequalizing mechanism and a novel co1nbi11ation, operating as such toproduce a new effeet.

I claim-- 1. The combination with a car-body,a truckframe, wheels on thelatter and springs yieldingly supporting the body above the frame, of anequalizing device comprising a rockshaft journaled in bearings on theframe and extending lengthwise of the car beyond both front and rearwheels, and positive or unyielding connections between the ends of saidshaft and the car-body whereby the said body is kept substantiallyparallel with the rockshaft.

2. The combination with a ear-bod y, a truckframe, wheels 011 the latterand springs yieldingly supporting the body above the frame, of anequalizing device comprising a rockshaft journaled in bearin on theframe and extending lengthwise of the car beyond both front and rearwheels, crank-arms affixed to the end portions of said shaft, andinflexible or inelastic links positively connecting said arms with thebody of the car.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 25th day of June, A. l).1895.

JAMES 0. BROWN.

\Vitnesses:

H. L. Ronnrns, A. D. HARRISON.

